Dr. Donald Sonn – Treating Urological Disorders

Donald Sonn - Treating Urological Disorders with Minimally Invasive Surgery

The team of surgeons at Cooley Dickenson Hospital, led by Donald Sonn, is making major strides in the treatment of various urological disorders such as benign prostate hyperplasia. BHP used to be only treatable by medication or through an invasive procedure called transurethral resection of the prostate or TURP for short. However, recent medical advances have paved the way for new less invasive treatment options.

One such treatment option is Greenlight Laser Therapy. This relatively new treatment option involves inserting a fiber into the urethra that fires a laser and simply vaporizes the abnormal tissues. The laser doesn’t cut into the tissue and Dr. Donald Sonn describes says, “It simply melts away.” One of the biggest benefits of this new procedure is the fact that it is an outpatient surgery so patients can return home the same day.

Such a quick recovery time wasn’t always an option for those suffering from prostate problems. Previous treatment options such as TURP involved actually cutting the tissue. This, of course, could lead to a lot of bleeding and would often require patients to be hospitalized for several days after the surgery was complete. In some cases, the blood loss would be so severe that patients would have to be given blood transfusions.

The Greenlight Laser Therapy is just one example of the treatment options offer by Donald Sonn and the Urology Group of Western New England. Another is the Da Vinci Surgical System. This is mainly used in the treatment of kidney issues.

 Previously kidney surgery usually involved an invasive procedure that required a large incision in the abdomen. This treatment option could be rather painful and could often require a long recovery time. Another option, conventional laparoscopy, is less invasive, but also offers the surgeon less precision and control.

The Da Vinci system uses state-of-the-art robotics to combine the best of both previous treatment options. It offers the surgeon the same dexterity and control of traditional procedures along with a less invasive approach. This incision required by the Da Vinci system is much smaller than the one that is made using conventional kidney surgery and is thus less painful and has a lower risk of infection, scaring and other unwanted side effect. These and other advanced surgical options are available from Donald Sonn and his colleagues at the Urology Society of Western New England.